Audio-Technica and Mecca Coffee have teamed up on a brand-new, nitro-infused black coffee drink for those who need a little hit of caffeine on the go.
Energy drinks may very well be the lifeblood that flows through the creative economy. If you’ve ever spent countless hours getting the snares just right on Ableton, editing and colour-grading video clips, streaming gameplay or building detailed 3D renders, you’ve probably got caffeine to thank for getting you through it. There’s only so much human willpower can do.
As an ode to content creators of all stripes, Audio-Technica and Mecca Coffee have come together in an unlikely but exciting pairing to create Sonic Brew: a brand-new beverage designed to fuel those all-nighter sessions in a way that’s a little healthier and more sustainable.
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“We wanted to make a sugar and dairy-free, energy drink alternative for our creative community of streamers, podcasters and musicians with a Japanese twist,” says Wesley von Grabill, Brand Manager at Audio-Technica Australia.
“Few things are more iconic to Japanese culture than vending machines filled with delicious canned coffee and milk teas.”
With ‘Sonic’ representing Audio-Technica’s longstanding passion for sound and ‘Brew’ paying tribute to Mecca Coffee’s dedication to mastering the art of coffee, the name was an easy choice.
Coming in a 250ml can, the grab-and-go coffee drink is brewed hot, quick-chilled and infused with nitrogen to add just the slightest touch of carbonation and give it a subtle froth when poured.
“When it comes to creating a drink, especially like this with a bold statement, a big drink, we were looking for the kind of coffee that’s going to match that intensity,” says Mecca’s Head Roaster, Dan May.
The sustainable, Sumatran-grown beans are roasted with precision to deliver powerful notes including ripe blueberry and sweet tiramisu. “They’re lively, vibrant flavours,” he says.
As Audio-Technica is one of Japan’s most well-known personal and professional audio manufacturers with more than half a century of experience, the coffee draws from the brand’s heritage. First invented in Japan in the 1960s, canned coffee has become a staple beverage across East Asia and is now finally having a moment in the Western world as well.
“Canned cold coffee has been ubiquitous in Japan for decades, and rightly so. It is utterly delicious,” says Paul Geshos, Director and Owner of Mecca Coffee.
“This brew is a nod to the flash brew coffee that permeates every convenience store and vending machine in Japan.”
Both Mecca and Audio-Technica knew that such a bold drink needed a cover design to match, so they enlisted the help of Australian graphic designer Jeremy Lord. Inspired by Japanese graphic art, vivid colours and modern-day mangas, he created an eye-catching visual representation of the product’s powerful taste.
“I often like to draw characters carrying a sword on their back. In this design, the content creator has a guitar instead, still giving her that superhero appearance. The dots running from top to bottom are sonic waves,” he says.
Sonic Brew is not Jeremy Lord’s first stint with Audio-Technica – previously, he designed the artwork surrounding their collab with Yulli’s Brews for the Karaoke Kingu Rice Lager.
Made with love at Mecca’s Alexandria, NSW facility, the limited-edition Sonic Brew coffee is available for only $4 via Mecca Coffee.
“We’ve developed a canned coffee that is brewed hot to fully extract flavour, chilled to preserve quality, then we add nitrogen for body and texture,” says Geshos. “This drink may well take over the world.”
For more on Audio-Technica X Mecca’s Sonic Brew canned coffee, head here.
